Rim feed for wheel assembly machines



Aug. 18, 1931. A. o. ROBERTS RIM FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed Aug. 23. 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet l mbert QKoberLs A. O. RQBERTS RIM FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Aug. 18, 1 931.

Filed Aug. 23', 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Qwue/nloz Hlberc ORobgrLs I Aug. 18, 1931. A. o. ROBERTS 1,819,622

RIM FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed Aug. 23. 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hlbcri O. Roberks Aug. 18, 1931.

A. o. ROBERTS 1,819,622

RIM-FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed Aug. 23, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hlberii (lRoberts Au 18, 1931. A. O. m ms 1,819,622

RIM FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINfiS Aug. 18; 1931. A. o. ROBERTS RII IM FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed Aug. 23, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 931. A. o. ROBERTS 1,819,622

RIM FEED FOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed Aug. 23, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 mm oxoberks' Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNETED STATES ALBERT O. ROBERTS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BUDD WHEEL COMPANY,

PATENT OFFICE OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RIM FEED FOR \VIIEEL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Application filed August 23, 1927. Serial No. 214,934.

This invention relates to presses and is directed more particularly to a hopper feed mechanism and assembly press wherein wheel rims and disks or other wheel bodies are fed to the press and there assembled into a unit structure.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a particularly efficient mechanism for automatically feeding a series of rims and a series of disks or other wheel bodies to an assembling press so that the press may force one of these elements into snug engagement with the other, and thereby form a unit wheel structure.

Ai'iother object is to provide a mechanism of this character which shall automatically feed the rims and disks or other wheel bodies, one at a time, to the press, so that the two elements may be united and discharged from the press before another set of elements are admitted, thereby providing a smooth and continuous operation.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the aforesaid character which shall inelude means for presenting the rims and disks or other wheel bodies in a definite and proper relation for assembly so that these elements shall always be united in the proper relationship.

The foregoing and other objects will become more apparent as the description proceeds and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application:

1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the rim feeding mechanism and illustrating particularly the rim entering or loading station and elevator;

Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan view of the upper end of the elevator illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an intermediate portion of the rim feeding mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the delivery portion of the rim feed mechanism showing the same in operative relation to the press;

Fi 5 is a top plan view of the press bed 23 I a and associated mechanism Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the gate for the rim loading station;

Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged vertical sectional views taken on the lines 7-7 and 88 of Figs. 1 and 2 respectively;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the press and a portion of the disk feed mechanism therefor;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view taken on the linel111 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is adetail view in elevation of the automatic hold back device for the rim feeding mechanism; and

Figs. 13 and 14. are respectively an end elevation and a top plan view thereof.

In describing the present invention it will be understood that the same comprises briefly an assembly press and suitable feed mechanisms for the rims and disks or other wheel bodies, the rims being automatically fed one at a time to the press bed and properly positioned thereon, whereupon a disk or other wheel body is automatically suspended in axial alignment over the rim so that the press plunger may descend and forcibly engage the disk or other wheel body with therim to form a wheel structure. The wheel structure thus formed is ejected from the press, and the operation above described is repeated.

. The rim feed mechanism will be described first, and by referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 7, it will be noted that the same comprises an upwardly inclined conveyor denoted generally at A. This conveyor consists of an upwardly extending rim support 1 which may be conveniently formed from an I beam that is supported by transverse angle bars 2 which are fastened to arms 3. The arms 3 in turn are fastened to suitable uprights a that rise from abase member 5. Journalled at the lower end of the rim supft l are a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 6 and adjacent the upper end of said supportis a similar pair of spaced sprocket wheels 7, the latter being journalled beneath a curved and slightly downwardly projecting portion 8 of the rim support so that the rims may roll freely therealong as will be more fully explained hereinafter. An endless chain belt 9 is disposed about each pair of sprocket wheels 6 and 7 and these chains, as shown particularly in Fig. 7 have journalled therebetween a plurality of transversely disposed shafts 10 which are arranged at definite spaced intervals along the chains. Each shaft has mounted thereon a roller 11 that is adapted to engage a rim to elevate the same up the rim support. The chains 9 are guided in their upper flights in channels 12 that are conveniently formed by pairs of angle beams 13 fastened to the upper ends of arms 3. By supporting the upper flights of the chain belts in this manner, the rollers 11 will always engage the rims atthe proper point to insure a steady and free IOlling of the rim up the support 1. The rims are guided in their upward movement by suitable side rails 14 that are fastened to brackets 15 (Fig. 7) which are adj ustably fastened to the arms land project inwardly therefrom. Further guiding is also effected by top strips 16 that are adjustably fastened to the aforementioned angle beams 13.

A rim loading device projects from adj acent. the lower end of the elevator and is preferably disposed at a. slight upward inclination for a purpose to become more apparent hereinafter. This loading device comprises a guideway 19 having the outer end thereof provided with a gate 20 of a shape (as shown in Fig. 6) such that a rim 21 may be entered therein only when the enlarged peripheral flange 22 thereon is at one side. In other words, the rims must all be entered with the flanges 22 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, or to the rear as viewed in Fig. 1, and in this manner it will be obvious that the rims will be presented to the press in a definite order as will be more fully described hereinafter.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that as the operator places the rims through gate 20, each will roll down the guideway 19 by gravity until it engages the upwardly inclined rim support 1. A suit able support 23 is fastened to beam 1 as shown in Fig. 1 to support the rim until it is picked up by a roller on the chain belts. As the sprocket wheels and chain belts revolve, the rim will be engaged by a roller 11 and carried up the rim support by a rolling movement. During this upward movement if the rims tend to fall to either side they will be supported and guided by side rails 14 and top rails 16, and when they reach the upper end of support 1, they pass along over the curved end 8 and proceed by gravity along an intermediate section of the rim feed mechanism.

The intermediatesection of the rim feed mechanism, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 and denoted generally B, comprises a slightly downwardly directed rim support 25 which is also preferably in the form of an I beam suitably supported by transverse angle bars 26 which in turn are fastened to depending arms 27. The arms 27 in turn are fastened to overhead longitudinally disposed angle beams 28 which may be supported in any suitable manner not shown. The intermediate section is also provided with spaced side guide rails 29 that are carried by brackets 30 which project inwardly from arms 27 and are adjustably fastened thereto as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The upper end of the intermediate section B is operatively connected to the elevator A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1 by curved angle bars 31 which interconnect the upper side rails 29 and angle beams 13. From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that therims will pass from elevator A to the intermediate section B and roll therealong by gravity.

Upon reaching the discharge end of intermediate section B, the rims abruptly change their direction of travel by passing through a downwardly curved portion C which in effect is a continuation of the rim support 25 and guide rails 23 together with an arcuate guard member-32 which prevents the rims from leaving the feed mechanism during this change of direction in travel. Connected with the section C is a. press feed section I).

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, this press feed section comprises an elongated bOXlllKG structure consisting of a plurality of rods 34 arranged in spaced relation and retained in such position by suitable rectangular supports 35 bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the rods. The lower end of this feed section is secured to the bed 36 of an assembly press in such position that the rims will be discharged onto a yieldingly mounted platform 37 to be described in detail hereinafter. It will be noted at this time that the rims in progressing through the feed sections A, B and C, do so in a vertical position, that is the rims roll along a support on their peripheral surfaces, whereaswhen they enter the feed section D they drop vertica ly a short distance and t ien proceed by a sl ding movement on the rods 34 in a substantially horizontal position. Thus the rims are discharged onto the press platform with the flange 22 uppermost and in the proper position to receive a disk, the rims being positioned by suitable stops 38 secured to the press bed.

The rims, in descending through the feed section. by gravity, are apt to crowd each other and ride one overlapping the other as indi cated in dotted lines in Fig. 12, and in order to insure an even and flat feed of the fore most rim onto the bed of the press, I provide an automatic rim kick-back mechanism shown in detail in Figures 12, 18 and 14. This kick-back mechanism consists of an angularly-disposed arm 40 fastened to a stationary part of the press, indicated 41. Pivoted to the lower end of this arm, at 42, is a finger 43 having a portion 44 adapted to engage the rim succeeding the rim located on the bed of the press. The opposite end of this finger is pivoted at 45 to one end of a link 46 which, in turn, is pivotally connected at its opposite end at 47 to one end of a bell crank 48. The bell crank 48 is pivoted at 49 to the arm 40 and the other arm of this bell crank is pivotally connected to one end of a link 50 which in turn is pivotally connected at 51 between a pair of depending ears 52 that are fastened to plunger 65 of the press. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that as the plunger 65 descends, the arm 50 will also descend, carrying the bell crank 48 therewith. One end of the bell crank, being pivoted at 49 to a stationary portion of the press, will cause the bell crank to rotate in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 12- and thus exert a pull on link 46 to the left as viewed in this figure, and hence the projecting end 44 of finger 43 will move to the right and engage the rim to unseat it from the preceding rim located on the bed of the press; whereupon the rims will assume a position as shown in full lines in this figure, with the foremost rim squarely seated on the bed of the press in axial alignment with the plunger of the press.

The press for assembling the rims and disks into a unit structure is most clearly shown in Fig. 9 and comprises a base 55 having secured thereto by bolts 56, a sub base 57 that is provided with a recess 58. Yieldingly mounted in this recess is the aforementioned platform 37 which is connected by dowel pins 59, that extend through sub base 57, to a plate 60. This pl. re is slidably guided on a plurality of rods 61 that are threadedly engaged at their upper ends with sub base 57, and the plate and platform are normally urged upwardly by a spring 62 engaged about each rod and interposed between the plate and a nut 63 threaded on the lower end of each of said rods. It is thus obvious that as the platform is forced downwardly as will be described hereinaft r, the plate moves therewith by virtue of the dowel pin connection and such movement will serve to compress the springs 62. The downward movement is limited by engagement of the platform with the wall ccliniug the bottom of recess 58. The press is also provided with a reciprocating plunger 5 of suitable shape which is operated in the usual any approved manner.

Operatively connected with the press is disk feed mechanism which is shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. A pair of brackets 68 are fastened to the press bed and these brackets support a pair of horizontally disposed disk guides 69 which extend outwardly from the press bed at substantially right angles to the rim feed mechanism. Each disk guide as shown in Fig. 10 is pivoted for a limited horizontal movement at 70 to apedestal 71 rising from a suitable support 72 and such movement is limited by a bolt 73 engaged in a slot 74 formed in a plate from bracket 68 as most clearly shown in 11. These plates are adjustably clamped to the brackets by bolts 76 engaged through slots 77 in the plates and threaded into the brackets.

The forward ends of the disk guides are each fitted with a disk retaining arm 79 having an arcuate inner edge 80 to retain the disk in ali nment with a rim on the platform 57 and also permit the press plunger to desccnd and engage 1e disk without engaging the arms. Suitable projections 81 extend beyond tl e arms 79 and are tied together at their extremities with spring 82 which normally urges the disk guides toward each other, such movement being about the aforementioned pivots 70 and limited by bolts 73 engaging one end of the slots 74. The disk guides each consists of a channel-like structure through which the disks slide by a feed mechanism to be described hereinafter. The rear ends of the pivoted disk guides are disposed in operative relation to a pair of aligned similar guides 69 which may Xtend to any suitable loading station for the disks, not shown.

The disk feed mechanism comprises a shaft join-nai ed in a bearing 86 that is carried by an arm 87 depending from a suitable suppo not shown. This shaft is adapted to rec procate and also rotate by any suit- Secured to the =m not shown. shaft at a point spaced from the press is a laterally extending support 88 which is pros at ts ext: 'ty with a pair of oppositely extending l .kets 89. As shown particularly in Fi 9. these brackets are adjustahly clamred to the ends of the support by. bolts 90. T he bracket nearest the press has adjustably chur d thereto by bolts 91, a transver ely ex iding pusher arm 92 which adapted to eng ge the peripheral edge of a disk to push c along the disk guides 69. The other bracct 89 has adjustably clamped thereto a depending finger 93 which is adapted to eugar-e the inner peripheral edge of a succeeding disk and carry it toward the press as the preceding disk is moved onto the press p atform. The end of shaft 85 projecting be youd the is also fitted with a aterally wort 95 which carries a downwe dly d t d finger 96 that is adjustably clamped hereto by bolts 97. From the fore-- going description and with the parts as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, it will be apparent that a rim has been positioned on the plat form 37, and a disk has been forced therein by plunger (35. The shaft 85 is now moved lei ritudiually to the left as viewed in these ires, whereupon linger 96 will engage the that projects laterally wheel unit and pull it from the press, meanwhile support 88 has moved to the left with shaft 85, and pusher arm 92 has moved a disk into engagement with disk retaining arms 79 where it is held in alignment with a rim that has been placed on the platform by the mechanism previously described. The disk is held in arms 79 by friction due to the spring 82 urging the disk guides and associated parts toward each other. It will also be noted that the aforementioned feed of the risk by support 88 has pulled another disk along to the position formerly occupied by the preceding disk, by reason of finger 93 en- 'ae ing the succeeding disk. The parts havg assumed this position, the press plunger csends to engage the disk and release it rose the yielding arms '79 and carry it into he rim positioned on platform 37. The shaft 3:. is now rotated to raise the support 88 and issociatcd parts clear of the disks and the 1:2 it moves to the right a predetermined disance, whereupon it is again rotated to posiion the pusher arm 92 and finger 93 between we disks in the guides.

inis also serves to 'ing the ejector finger 96 in position to enthe assembled. wheel unit, whereupon the cycle of operation is repeated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the rims and disks or other wheel i are fed and positioned automatically assembly press where they are united nd then ejected, such operation being carried out in a continuous manner. The press and associated feed mechanism is adjustable within certain limits to handle various sizes of rims and disks or other wheel bodies which form the arious sized wheels commonly used in the automobile industry.

it will be understool that the mechanism shown in the drawings and above descrihec is merely an illustrative en'ibodiment of one form of my invention, and various changes therein may be made, as evidenced by the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

l. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising an assembling press, a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway disposed in operative relation to said press and arranged at an angle to each other and each being adapted to receive a plurality of such ele meuts, said rim guide ray having an elevated portion adapted to deliver said rims by gravity one at a time to the bed of said press, said wheel body guideway having a positive feed mechanism associated therewith and adapted to deliver a wheel body to said press i axial alignment with a rim in said press. and means for operating said press to assemble a rim and wheel body as a unitary structure.

2. A machine for assembling wheel bodies and rims comprising an assembling press, a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway disposed in operative relation to said press and ea ch being adapted to receive a plurality of such elements, said rim guideway consisting of a loading section, an elevating section and downwardly directed section adapted to feed the rims by gravity one at a time into operative position onto the bed of said :css, means for feeding a wheel body to said Y rose in axial alignment with each rim fed iereto, and means for operating said press assemble each wheel body and rim as a ary wheel structure.

3. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising an assembling press, a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway disposed in operative relation to said press and each being adapted to receive a plurality of such elements, said rim guideway consisting of a loading section, an elevating section and a downwardly directed section adapted to feet rims by gravity one at a time into operative position onto the bed of said press, said loading station having a gate adapted to admit the rims only in a predetermined position thereby insuring presentation of the rims in proper relation to the assembly press, means for feeding a disk to said press in axial alignment with each rim fed thereto, and means for operating said press to assemble each wheel body and rim as a unit structure.

4. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising an assembling press, a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway disposed in operative relation to said press and each being adapted to receive a plurality of such elements, said rim guideway consisting of a loading section and downwardly directed section adapted to feed rims by gravity one at a time into operative position onto the bed of said press, said loading section having a gate adz-ipted to admit the rims only in a predetermined position, thereby insuring the presentation of the rims in proper relation to the assembly press, means for feeding a disk to said press in axial alignment with each rim fed thereto, and means for operating said presstc assemble each wheel body and riui as a unit structure.

5. A mechanism of the character setforth comprising a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway disposed in operative relation to said press and each being adapted to receive plurality of such elements, said rim guideway having a downwardly directly portion adapted to feed the rin s by gravity one at a tin e to the bed of said press, a kick back mechanism associated with said rim guideway, means for operating said kick back mechanism to engage the rim next to the rim on the bed of the press to prevent its interference with the proper seating of the latter, means for feeding a wheel body to said press in axial alignment with each rim fed thereto, and means for operating said press to assemble each wheel body and rim as a unitary wheel structure.

6. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway disposed in operative relation to said press and each being adapted to receive a plural ty of such elements, said rim guideway having a loading section, an elevating section. and a downwardly directed portion terminating adjacent said press and forming a gravity chute for feeding the rims one by one directly to the bed of said press. said loading station having a gate adapted to admit riins only in a predetermined position, a kick back mechanism associated with said rim guideway acjaceut said press, means for operating said kick back mechanism to engage the rim next to the rim on the bed of the press to prevent its interference with the proper seating of the latter, means for feeding a wheel body to said press in axial alignment with each rim fed thereto, and means for operating said press to assemble each wheel body and rim as a unitary wheel structure.

7. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising an assembly press, means for automatically placing a rim in said press, a wheel body guideway operatively connected with said press, means for feeding disks along said guidewav to the press with a step by step motion to bring a wheel body into axial alignment with the rim in the press, means for operating the press to assemble a wheel'body and rim. and means actuated by the wheel body feeding means for directly engaging and ejecting the united rim and wheel body from the press.

8. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising an assembly press, a rim guideway and wheel body guideway connected to said press at substantially right angles to each other, said rim guideway consisting of a loading section and a down wardly directed section adapted to feed a series of rims by gravity to said press, said wheel body guideway consisting of a pair of substantially horizontally disposed guides overlying the press bed and a rim on said bed, means for feeding a series of wheel bodies along said wheel body guideway to said press, means for actuating said press to unite a wheel body and rim and means actuated bv said wheel body feeding means for engaging and ejecting the united wheel body and rim from the press.

9. A mechanism of the character set forth comprising an assembly press having a bed adapted to receive a rim thereon, a rim guideway and a wheel body guideway connected to said press at substantially right angles to each other, said rim guideway consisting of a loading station and a downwardly directed section adapted to feed a series of rims by gravity to said press, said wheel body guideating said press to unite a wheel body and rim, and means for ejecting the united wheel body and rim from the press, said ejecting means being actuated by the wheel body feed mechanism.

10. In a mechanism of the character set forth, a press, a rim feed mechanism having a section adapted to feed the rims one by one to the bed of the press by gravity, a kick back device disposed in operative relation to said section, and means for actuating said kick back device periodically to prevent crowding of succeeding rims upon the rim on the press bed in the Working stroke of the press.

11. In a mechanism of the character set forth, a press, a rim feed mechanism having a section adapted to feed the rims one by one to the bed of the press by gravity, a kick back device operatively connected with the press and adapted to be actuated thereby, said device comprising an arm having a finger disposed in operative relation to said guideway and adapted to successively engage the rims passing therethrough to prevent them from crowding upon the rim on the press bed, and a connection betwen said finger and the press.

12. In a mechanism of the character set forth, a rim feed mechanism having an elevating section consisting of an inclined rim support, guide rails arranged on each side of said rim support, and means adapted to engage a rim above its axis for causing a rolling traverse of the rim up said rim support between said guide rails.

13. In a mechanism of the character set forth, a rim feed mechanism having an elevating section consisting of an inclined rim support, guide rails arranged on each side of said rim support, sprocket wheels disposed adjacent each end of said rim support, chains engaged with said sprocket wheels, and means carried by said chains and adapted to engage a rim above its axis to thereby cause a rolling movement of the same up said rim support.

14. In a mechanism of the character set forth, a rim feed mechanism consisting of an elevating section and a downwardly directed section, a loading station operatively connected with said elevating section and having a gate admitting a rim in a pre-determined position only, and means for engaging a rim above its axis and causing a rolling movement of the rim from said loading station up said elevating section, said rim being adapted to move through the remaining portion of the guideway by gravity.

15. In a mechanism of the character set forth, an assembly press, guideways connected with said press and adapted to feed a series of rims and Wheel bodies thereto, a positive feeding device for said Wheel bodies, said press consisting of a yieldingly mounted platform adapted to receive a rim thereon, a reciprocating plunger adapted to force a Wheel body into said rim, and means for ejecting the rim and Wheel body from the press comprising an arm movable in unison with the Wheel body feeding device.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

' ALBERT O. ROBERTS. 

